Wireless networks are telecommunications networks that use radio waves to carry information from one node in the network to one or more receiving nodes in the network. Wired communication can also be used in portions of a wireless network, such as between cells or access points. Many wireless protocols have been developed, including WiFi, an implementation of various IEEE 802.11 protocols; Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (“WiMAX”), an implementation of IEEE 802.16; and High Performance Radio Metropolitan Area Network (“HiperMAN”), which is based on an ETSI alternative to IEEE 802.16.
Wireless communication networks are frequently used in connection with a variety of different technologies, including, for example, satellite communications systems, portable digital assistants (“PDAs”), laptop computers, and mobile devices (e.g., cellular telephones). One benefit that wireless networks provide to users of such technologies is the ability to connect to a network (e.g., the Internet) as long as the user is within range of such wireless communication technologies.